BCCI to ask ICC to reject WADA

The Indian cricket board, BCCI will advise the ICC to reject the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code and instead suggested that the ICC formulate a cricket-specific anti-doping code. The BCCI believes this is the only solution after leading Indian players objected to the 'whereabouts' clause in the WADA code.

The BCCI is expected to propose this solution during the ICC's executive meeting in October and is optimistic about getting support from other boards.

The BCCI feels that the whereabouts clause in the WADA code violates privacy guarantees provided in the Indian constitution.

The BCCI is of the opinion that the ICC needs to adopt a cricket-specific code where testing is done during the 10-month period in which international cricket is played. The BCCI thinks that instead of players revealing their whereabouts, the ICC or WADA testers should contact the players 24 hours in advance. However, WADA has made it amply clear that no exemption to the code will be made with 571 other sporting bodies having complied to abide by it.

If the ICC does reject the WADA code, cricket will not be part of major events such as the Asian games or the Olympics which are organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC has appointed WADA to handle all matters related to anti-doping.

Such a move could only prove for detrimental for the sport as it will lose the opportunity to be played at a bigger stage.

"Cricket does not need this ridiculous and draconian measure," a senior BCCI official told website Cricinfo. "The only solution now is for ICC has to walk out of WADA and opt for a cricket-specific code that will put in a place a testing programme for about 10 months in a year when the game is played at the international level and probably another month during various training camps."

"What's the need for cricket to become an Olympic sport?" the official said. "Contrary to public perception, the ICC board has never felt the need for such an inclusion and it has previously rejected proposals in this regard. India and other major boards like England have been against any such move."

"In hindsight, the ICC decision in 2006 to be a WADA signatory has turned out to be a foolish one," the official said. "It must be made clear though that the BCCI and its players are not against anti-dope testing and are keen to ensure that the sport remains clean. It's only the path to that goal that is being questioned. The WADA is an independent body set up by the IOC and cricket is under no obligation to be part of that umbrella."

"Cricket is not like most other Olympic sport such as athletics," the official said. "Skills are paramount in cricket and muscle-enhancing and endurance-boosters do not count for much when it comes to performance. There is the odd exception but even in those cases, system abuse has only led to an early end to players' careers."

The BCCI official said that the issue could be resolved sooner if both the BCCI and ICC agree to discuss it before the Champions Trophy starts in September.